Saltwater Switch

[Love2watchfish]

So I'm thinking of moving to a Saltwater Aquarium. Can I use the sand that is currently in the freshwater tank and just add salt? Or is it best to use new sand and go through the process again?

 

[Andy Sager]

What kind of sand is it?

 

[Love2watchfish]

What kind of sand is it?

So I previously had African Cihlids and used the Aragonite sand in the bottom.

 

[Andy Sager]

So I previously had African Cihlids and used the Aragonite sand in the bottom.

That's fine to use in marine tanks but you are going to have to really wash it out before filling the tank with saltwater. Any detritus in the sand will only pollute the saltwater. You are going to have to cycle the tank again anyway so no worries about ruining whatever microbes are currently there. The nitrifying microbes in saltwater are different from freshwater ones.

 

[Love2watchfish]

That's fine to use in marine tanks but you are going to have to really wash it out before filling the tank with saltwater. Any detritus in the sand will only pollute the saltwater. You are going to have to cycle the tank again anyway so no worries about ruining whatever microbes are currently there. The nitrifying microbes in saltwater are different from freshwater ones.

Thank you